Time you want and i also appreciate it ok michael lets go to you in philadelphia is there a crisis of crisis of authority in america right now or a crisis of responsibility or is it both go ahead yeah i think you have to say its both. A crisis which were applied to an ongoing issue and i think thats a question were hopeful you know weve haitian on both when you have an issue of Law Enforcement for predominantly Political Considerations not engaging in actually enforcing the rule of law and you have protesters in turn and i want to be clear not all protesters are to a certain faction of them associated with rock was groups engaged in a mess by who went. Activity thats clearly a crisis site think of merging on both fronts and its time for government and protesters i think to take a fresh look. The proceeds being taken and had to have. No damage to. Property and to people thats not the way we do things in a country that is governed by rule of law you know girl and me i cant help but get t
Discussing social justice and more im joined by my guest Michael Johnson philadelphia is a national cofounder and leader of the u. S. Tea Party Movement as well as a former white house speechwriter to president george h. W. Bush and in washington we have arlen nixon hes a retired Police Official as well as a a. C. L. U. National board member originally across the president and you can jump in anytime you want and i also appreciate it ok michael lets go to you in philadelphia is there a crisis of crisis of authority in america right now or a crisis of responsibility or is it both go ahead yeah i think you have to say its both. A crisis which were applied to an ongoing issue and i think thats a question were hopeful you know you haitian on both when you have been as you will the Law Enforcement for predominantly cool. Considerations not engaging in actually enforcing the rule of law and you have protesters in turn and i want to be clear not all protesters under a certain faction of them
Our subject for today is the atlantic slave trade, and the first thing i want to say about it is that we have a big subject, a tremendously important subject, and truly a difficult subject to deal with today. Its importance lies in its relationship to the transformation of the world in the early modern era. By that, i mean essentially three things. First, the origins and the rise of capitalism around the atlantic, beginning in the late 16th century and continuing thereafter to the present. Secondly, the establishment of european dominance around the world. This is another major theme to which the slave trade is connected. Then, finally, we are talking today about one of the very foundations of American History. America is the result of the meeting of three very old cultures and you might say continents. People from europe, people from west africa, and people from native america. Today, we are going to talk about one of those three pillars, the african slave trade. Now, i want to begin
Thereafter to the present. Secondly, the establishment of european dominance around the world. This is another major theme to which the slave trade is connected. Finally, we are talking today about one of the very foundations of American History. America is the result of the meeting of three very old cultures, and you might say continents. People from europe, people from west africa, and people from native america. Today, we are going to talk about one of those three pillars, the african slave trade. I want to begin with a quote by a very eminent africanamerican scholar activist named w. E. B. Dubois. Heres what he said about the atlantic slave trade. The most magnificent drama in the last 1000 years of human transportation of 10 million human beings out of the dark beauty of their mother continent and into the newfound el dorado of the west. Hell. Escended into it was a tragedy that bickered the greek that beggars the revolutionthe french. I think he is exactly right. Drama of stunnin
Because of that, its a particularly good point in this course to talk about a big issue that goes throughout the civil war that we need to look at a e antebellum. The question is the United States constitution. One thing historians have been asking for generations about the constitution and the civil war area, a basic question is to what degree did the constitution shape the civil war area . What to what degree did it make political actors do certain things . Constrain them. Or guide their actions. On the flip side to what degree did the civil war era shape the constitution . Some of this is very clear in the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments. Changed the constitution. Also different views of the constitution. One of the things that people have looked at in looking back at the u. S. Constitution during the civil war era is how president s have interacted with the constitution. Have they followed it . Have they tried to defend it . Have they abridged the constitution . This shapes how many